A sign set up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency outside of the disaster recovery center in Whiteland, 999 N. Front St.
Daily Journal File Photo
Nearly $3 million in federal aid has been approved to help Hoosiers recover from last month’s severe storms.
One month after severe storms and tornadoes caused damage across Indiana, including Johnson County, on March 31 and April 1, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has given out more than $1.2 million in individual assistance grants for 125 households. The U.S. Small Business Administration has also approved $1.74 million in disaster loans to individuals and businesses, according to a FEMA news release.
Federal assistance continues to be available, and storm survivors in Johnson, Allen, Benton, Clinton, Grant, Howard, Lake, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Sullivan and White counties have until June 14 to apply for assistance.
Seven Disaster Recovery Centers are also open across the state, and survivors can ask questions, learn about available resources and get one-on-one help with aid applications, the news release says. The Whiteland recovery center is located at 999 N. Front St. and is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
No appointment is needed to visit a Disaster Recovery Center, and survivors from all counties can visit any open center, federal officials say.
To apply without visiting a center, residents can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or use the FEMA App. If using a relay service, residents should give FEMA the number for that service, the news release says.
FEMA assistance may include funds for uninsured or under-insured expenses caused by the storms, such as repair or replacement of personal property and vehicles, moving and storage, medical, dental, childcare and funeral expenses. The agency may also refer residents to the SBA, which provides low-interest disaster loans to uninsured or under-insured businesses, homeowners and renters. Submitting the SBA application also allows FEMA to consider residents for additional grants.
